Pretty Tank Top Knitting Patterns

After sharing some fresh T-shirt knitting patterns last month, let’s complete our summer knit wardrobes with some awesome tank top knitting patterns.

I love a good knit tank top because it somehow feels a little bit more dressed up than a purchased tank top, plus they give you an opportunity to knit and wear knits even when it’s hot outside.

The Rowdy Tank by Caitlyn Turowski is a great season-spanning top, because you can wear it when it’s warm as a tank or layer it like a vest when it’s cooler. It’s worked with two strands of lace weight yarn held together (or you could use a single strand of sport weight) and it comes in nine sizes, ranging from a 28 to 60 inch/70 to 150 cm bust, and is meant to be worn with 0-4 inches/0-10 cm of negative ease. You can find the pattern on Ravelry.

Keep it super simple for summer with the Ella tank top knitting pattern from MMadison Marie on Etsy. This cropped V-neck design is worked entirely in stockinette stitch, which gives you a cute rolled hem. It uses worsted weight yarn and comes in four sizes.

Another great classic design in Camisole No. 9 by My Favorite Things. This slim fit, top down crewneck reminds me of my storebought tank tops, but worked in fingering weight yarn it would be even lighter and nicer to wear on its own or for layering. It comes in eight sizes and is meant to be worn with 4.75-6 inches or 12-15 cm of negative ease.

For a design that’s all summer, check out Plumeria from Wool & Pine. This pretty design has a plain knit bodice and a long, lacy skirt. It’s worked in the round and includes a written pattern and a video tutorial to help with any potentially tricky bits. There are 12 sizes available in this pattern, which is on Ravelry.

The Ripride Slipover from Jennifer Shiels Toland is a pretty DK weight topper with panels of lace down the center front and back and textured stitch panels at the underarms. The pattern has options for a round neck of V-neck and optional waist shaping. You can also split the hem or leave it even. Ten sizes are offered in the pattern, which is on Ravelry.

Go for something a little warmer for the cooler mornings and evenings to come with the Emery vest and pullover pattern from Joji Locatelli. This cabled pattern can be worked as a sleeveless shell or a pullover with sleeves. It’s worked with worsted weight yarn held with a fluffy laceweight, and comes in 10 sizes. You can find this one on Ravelry.

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It felt like it had been a while since I’d done a roundup of knitting patterns involving sheep, and if search is any indication, that is true. I found a roundup of patterns for knit sheep from a few years ago, but the only one with v I could find is from 2015. So it’s definitely time to revisit this fun genre of knitting patterns.

This all started with a headband. Alyssa Kaat’s Icelandic Sheep Headband (free on Ravelry) to be specific. Ravelry showed it to me as a pattern highlight and I couldn’t resist taking a closer look. It’s worked with two colors of worsted weight yarn and alternates sheep with stars around your head.

Another great sheepy headband is this one from Loch Fyne Crafts on Etsy. These sweet little sheep are worked in bulky yarn and you can make the background look like field and sky or work it in a solid color.

Or make a headband (or a hat, cowl, or all three) covered with a flock of sheep with this set of patterns from New Age Knitting CA. These pieces also use the field/sky coloring, but you can use whatever colors of worsted weight yarn you like.

Speaking of hats, there’s also the sheep hat from Lynann Knits Designs. The sample was worked in Icelandic wool to make the sheep and the hat extra fuzzy and warm, but any worsted weight yarn will work.

There’s also the Wandering Sheep hat from Kat Hudon (on Ravelry), which features a fun collection of speckled sheep that can be worked in different yarn weights to make different sizes of hats for kids and adults.

And lest you think sheep need to be knit in traditional stranded colorwork, check out the Rebel Sheep Mob blanket by Deborah Moore. This one is worked in mosaic knitting using fingering weight yarn. In mosaic knitting you’re only working with one color per row so it’s pretty easy. You can find this pattern on Ravelry.

I can’t possibly share sheep knitting patterns without mentioning the amazing Black Sheep Shadow Shawl by Mark Jamieson. Shadow knitting is a technique I want to do more of, but it involves working two rows alternating in two different colors and the pattern emerges when you look at the design from an angle. It’s so cool and the sheep on this one are amazing! It’s not a beginner project but well worth the work. You can find it on Ravelry or at the designer’s website.

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